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Editor Interview: The Silent World in Her Vase

This interview is provided for archival purposes. The listing is not currently active.

Q: Describe what you publish in 25 characters or less.

A: Authentic Literature

Q: What other current publications (or publishers) do you admire most?

A: Bluestem Magazine is my current favorite place to read fun, imaginative, and emotional works.

Q: If you publish writing, who are your favorite writers? If you publish art, who are your favorite artists?

A: Personally, I enjoy narrative and minimal works by ideal writers like Charles Bukowski, Pablo Neruda, and Maya Angelou.

Q: What sets your publication apart from others that publish similar material?

A: Most of our contributors have come forward about their mental health journey in hopes of overcoming a stigma they are living under every day. My goal as a Creative Director is to share their power, imagination, and emotional experiences.

Q: What is the best advice you can give people who are considering submitting work to your publication?

A: Create a readable experience and story told from an honest place. I am one of those people who has a hard time expressing my reality through verbal communication. For me, reading laboriously involves looking for that raw, authentic communication I lack in myself and possibly numerous other readers.

Q: Describe the ideal submission.

A: I think the best example is Adam Coday's work in TSWIHV. I never met the guy in real life, but he offers his best work for many of our submission calls (and I admire him for that.) He found a way to express a sense of delicacy between the human mind and mother nature. It's fascinating stuff.

Q: What do submitters most often get wrong about your submissions process?

A: We do not stop at poetry and personal essays about mental health. We enjoy reading any form of writing as long as it is in the field of creative non-fiction.

Q: How much do you want to know about the person submitting to you?

A: We prefer to read the work blindly before noticing your name or bio because it intensifies our focus on your piece and examines if it is a proper fit for the monthly theme.

Q: If you publish writing, how much of a piece do you read before making the decision to reject it?

A: The standard process entails a 3x3 rule I created for us. I read every submission at least three times (sometimes more) on three different days. There have been several instances where a submission went from the 'decline' pile to the 'acceptance' pile by the third day. In other instances, we may read a submission once and automatically accept it.

Q: What is a day in the life of an editor like for you?

A: I began TSWIHV sitting at my favorite wooden desk at home, and the matter remains the same now. I find the inspiration to read all my submissions in the mornings with a fine cup of Tim Horton's coffee. Lo-fi music plays in the background, and my plants keep me company, while at times, my English Bulldog, Ellie, snores perpetually.

Q: How important do you feel it is for publishers to embrace modern technologies?

A: I firmly believe that one should own a publication at their leisurely pace, whether traditional or electronically. I will say that electronic submissions have kept me super organized, and the payment side of things is undoubtedly less of a hassle. Frankly, I am not the best at handling social media accounts related to my publication, but help will soon be on the horizon.

Q: How much do you edit an accepted piece prior to publication?

A: We will provide more editing services in the future, but it has only been a few instances so far. I prefer to publish works that have gone through the editing process prior or do not need it at all.

Q: Do you nominate work you've published for any national or international awards?

A: Any of my contributors would fit the bill for an award. Each one was prudently selected by myself and a couple of staff volunteers coming from an MFA background. I highly recommend any of them, to be honest.